Hal Jordan: The Green Lantern Appreciation 2022

[Mantis-Ray]

The GLC feels weird without the Guardians because they're such an iconic part of the brand, and I haven't seen anything from the United Planets to indicate they would be a better choice .

Well the first thing the UP did was take away several of the exercising power of the Corps because they saw little use in them so they really aren't.

Really being beholden to an organization that is ostensibly comprised of politicians and leaders of various disparate nations working in the name of their own interests is not the greatest prospects. Say what you will about the Guardians but they were committed to galactic peace and lived such a hermetic existence you could at least trust their integrity that they won't sell you out for a quick buck.

[j9ac9k]

As a lifelong Reed Richards fan, I did not mind Hal showing a bit of age. Reed, Nick Fury, and Dr. Strange all make it work, imo.

If anything, Hal just needed to trim the hair, a bit.

Ymmv, but I personally hated when they aged up Hal. There might have been an initial intention of making him "seasoned," but it quickly turned him into a "dad" character, especially in relation to Guy and the newer heroes. However, he didn't have Superman's stability and status, so he sometimes looked more like the old bachelor uncle. Hal became either a stick in the mud or an old guy still acting like a cocky young pilot - neither of which worked so his days were numbered at that point, imo.

[StarSpangledMan]

As a lifelong Reed Richards fan, I did not mind Hal showing a bit of age. Reed, Nick Fury, and Dr. Strange all make it work, imo.

If anything, Hal just needed to trim the hair, a bit.

I kind of like the greying temples too, they could be a visually interesting aspect of the character with the right haircut. And Hal wouldn't have to be made much older either as plenty of guys go grey early.

It doesn't really matter to me if he has or doesn't have them though, I just want DC to acknowledge that the OG JLAers are older and if Hal is keeping himself in his prime using the ring then it should be noted.

[Frontier]

Grey hair Hal just doesn't look quite like Hal to me.

[Proto Man]

Mark Bright is actually a good artist, but that particular image that was posted is not his best work, I'd say. Hal Jordan does look awkward, but I think that's primarily because those pictures aren't the best artistic renditions of him...or the Guardians, for that matter.

I thought he looked okay with the gray hair at times, like in this page by Pat Broderick:


As far as the gray hair in general, I assume that direction was taken because Green Lantern didn't get rebooted by Crisis on Infinite Earths, so it had a lot of history it was working from and the people in charge wanted that reflected. I don't think gray-haired heroes in general are bad or destined to be unpopular. Cable from X-Men was a REALLY popular character at his height.

Regardless of his character and deeds, I really like Gerard Jones' early work on Green Lantern. Actually, I think those are some of the best GL comics (after Steve Englehart's work), so the gray hair on Hal Jordan doesn't scare me away. The writing and art (as seen in that previously posted picture) eventually went totally downhill and the book was a chore to get through.

[j9ac9k]

I'm fairly sure Hal was aged up because the more adult (and successful) miniseries "Longbow Hunters" aged up Ollie and considering how connected they were, they figured Hal had to be Ollie's contemporary.

[Robanker]

I'm fairly sure Hal was aged up because the more adult (and successful) miniseries "Longbow Hunters" aged up Ollie and considering how connected they were, they figured Hal had to be Ollie's contemporary.

I figured Longbow and DKR had DC thinking aging their male superheroes would revitalize them.

[Johnny]

I think it's telling when they made him older and gave him gray hair and less than 5 years later turned him evil. Like I said, no shelf life. Where do you go with the old veteran thing when you can't promote him to a new audience or can't give him any other characterization besides the "dad" take mentioned above. You put the character into a corner where you either have to inevitably retire him, or kill him off, or do something "edgy" with him. They did all 3 of those.

[Frontier]

Ya make your marketable heroes young with some exception.

[Stanlos]

The decision to make Hal an older character in the first place.

I thought his being older was his mortality and the fact that similarly dispositioned people were older, namely Ollie. But whereas Ollie's look never quite works Hal is great looking. That was I think the era when Kara and him got together.

[Stanlos]

Ya make your marketable heroes young with some exception.

Is that why everyone seems to want Superman to be 20? Or why they did FlashNoPoint and New Fiftypoop they made the heroes all newbs?

I find that gross and offensive really.

[j9ac9k]

I thought his being older was his mortality and the fact that similarly dispositioned people were older, namely Ollie. But whereas Ollie's look never quite works Hal is great looking. That was I think the era when Kara and him got together.

Are you thinking of Power Girl? (was she calling herself Kara then or was she just Karen?)

[Stanlos]

Are you thinking of Power Girl? (was she calling herself Kara then or was she just Karen?)

She was Kara and everyone referred to her as Kara. When the S/B run brought Supergirl back suddenly people started calling her Karen and only Supergirl Kara. I don't know why that is, but I know her as Kara and mostly refer to her as such as that is her name too. I mean no one calls Supergirl by any of her many civilian alters so what gives.

[Captain Nostalgia]

Yucky! I hated 50+ white sideburns Hal Jordan. It was almost like they were looking to faze him out.

To this day the look is now synonymous with Parallax....but at least they never gave his a beard.

Let this be a lesson to DC. Hal Jordan looks best when he uses just Just For Men!

[Johnny]

I thought his being older was his mortality and the fact that similarly dispositioned people were older, namely Ollie. But whereas Ollie's look never quite works Hal is great looking. That was I think the era when Kara and him got together.

By all means if you really want to make the characters older go right ahead, but don't have only one or two looking older and leave everyone else of the same generation still looking young. Hal looking 15 years older than a guy who raised 4 generations of Robins makes no sense no matter how you try to suspend your disbelief.